Shock Withdrawal - The Dismal Advance

 

I had the good fortune of seeing Shock Withdrawal a few months ago at Saint Vitus Bar. Right away I knew that they were onto something special. They're intense, unforgivingly heavy and above all loud. This is death metal done right, with unrepentant blast beats, cacophonous riffing and some of the most impressive vocal performances I have heard in a good long while. The end result is their debut album The Dismal Advance which is 13 ferocious blasting tracks of unrelenting death metal fury that you simply can't get away from. 

With the longest song at this record capping at 2:14, Shock Withdrawal are the epitome of concise. These songs get their ideas out there, beat you over the head with them and then get out. That all being said, I think there are some wonderfully impressive executions going on here, and they are able to make even the shorter songs feel surprisingly epic. The album isn't entirely short form blast fests. Tracks like "No Closure" (Great title for an album closer) use slower, sludgier riffs to communicate a different brand of heaviness. These moments of noisy sludge provide a welcome contrast to the chaotic spiraling riffs of tracks like "Constant Fear Of Annihilation". 

Dismal Advance is an impressive release if there ever was one. It's a record that distills so many core elements of the genre and grinds towards something ever greater. The band clearly understands what it takes to make compelling grinding death metal and their brutal assault is addictive. With short albums like this the relistenability is generally high, and this is definitely the case with Dismal Advance. I find myself on my third listen practically by accident, but with each spin I find new reasons to love what Shock Withdrawal have achieved here. It's brutal unrelenting deathgrind for the masses. 

Pre-order the album!

https://shockwithdrawal.bandcamp.com/album/the-dismal-advance

Cancer Christ - God Is Violence

This is a fucking rager. I mean - how can you not love a record called God Is Violence featuring an image of Christ committing suicide, and songs like "Satan Is A Bitch" and "Jesus Got A Big Ol' Cock". The bands latest record is a remarkably fun, fucked up and interesting record. It's blasting, unrelenting deathgrind that feels almost cinematic in scale, a rarity for this genre. But Cancer Christ have always been on some different shit and God Is Violence sees them really distilling everything they have done over the past few years into something crazy. 

God Is Violence is interesting too because there are very few actual songs on the record. Instead you get more smaller song ideas that flow into each other in a way that feels like almost some sort of fucked up musical splaying out in front of you. There are huge choruses and deeply enjoyable riffs, but Cancer Christ have taken a different approach to songwriting. There is something wonderfully engaging about this approach though. It makes for a record that is deeply engaging, bloodthirsty and which has you going back to listen in full rather than ever really trying to pick out individual tracks. Cancer Christ understand the magic of what they've been trying to cultivate for tears and God Is Violence is some different shit. 

It's hard to deny the twisted, cop hating magic of Cancer Christ. The main takeaway I have when listening to God Is Violence is simply that this must be a hell of a live band. Cancer Christ understand the wonderfully fun and gore obsessed nature of metal at its finest. Letting yourself get immersed in these dark layers and experiencing the twisted visions of a Church of Cancer Christ is far too much fun. This band is on a different layer, cutting extreme music back to its core and blessing it with a blasphemous narrative. What more you could you want?

Buy the album!

https://cancerchrist.bandcamp.com/album/god-is-violence

Pains - Smoldering Willows/The Suffering Is The Point

 

It's Tuesday morning - what better time for 9 minutes of punishing grinding death metal from the freaks in Pains? Their new two song single Smoldering Willows/The Suffering Is The Point is a punishing offering that balances blast beat fueled intensity with some truly gnarly riffs that are sure to knock your teeth out. There is a sense of high volume devastation that reverberates throughout this single and it's got a certain charm. The guitar tone in particular is just immaculate and it speaks to a band really ready to take the next steps. 

 Fusing classic death and grind influences with a sense of dynamic range, Pains are very quickly able to establish a clear and menacing vibe on this release. It's only compounded by the breathtaking performances and bone grinding playing. The counterbalance of the less than 2 minute long "Smoldering Willows" with the nearly 7 minute barn burner "The Suffering Is The Point" is an interesting choice too and one that nicely showcases both sides of the band, in all of their intense, blood curdling agony.

Listen here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCTq1qmtkOk

Sonic Poison - Eruption

It's Sunday. The Lords Day. Or in my case, the day to listen to grinding death thrash from the twisted masters in Sonic Poison. Released by the ever excellent Me Saco Un Ojo and Pulverised labels, Eruption is a veritable extreme metal... eruption. It's a crushing assault of blast beats, evil riffs and venom spitting vocals that speak to the gloriously twisted triumph of the genre. For those of us raised in the underground it's hard not to be enamored with the balls out assault and breakneck rhythms that define this records vision. 

I think what gets me the most about this record is the barked and tormented nature of the vocals. Songs like "War On Drugs" perfectly illustrate the chaos of this band and the threatening magic that they unveil. There is a really triumphant magic to this too that keeps me engaged. The band is unleashing countless chaotic solos and death dealing riffs and the end result is a sound that reminds us exactly how good Sonic Poison are in the first place. Their willingness to go for the throat and leave listeners gasping for air as they lean into the unrelenting metal command is a lot of fun and speaks to the throat slashing misery that they so eagerly unleash. 

Eruption is a masterful album and one that takes full advantage of the bands sharp sonic artillery Weighing in around a scant twenty minutes, Sonic Poison take no prisoners, option for replay value rather than asking you to to sit around as they drag their feet and bore you to death with B tier ideas. Instead, you get the sense that everything Sonic Poison do on this release is intentional, from the rough production to the hyper speed nature of the songs. Letting yourself get lost in this ferocity is a goddamn blast and you don't want it to end. 

Pre-order the album: 

http://mesacounojo.bandcamp.com/album/eruption

Kill Division - Peace Through Tyranny

Is it just me who loves how many projects Dirk Verbeuren has going right now? Kill Division is the latest, and one of the greatest that has crossed my radar. On this record he collaborates with fellow masters of the craft including Gus Rios (Gruesome, Left to Die), Jeramie Kling (Inhuman Condition, Venom Inc.), and Kyle Symons (ex-Malevolent Creation/ Hateplow). There is something utterly thrilling about the throat slitting metal madness of this death metal album. It's a record that leans into its hectic assault and bloodthirsty approach to the genre. The chaotic unraveling that shapes this offering is thrilling and it's hard not to be impressed with the relentless assault that they paint for us as the whole world comes crashing down around our ears.

The music is a wonderful tribute to Pintado-era Napalm Death and bands like Terrorizer. The production is particularly crisp with these songs resonating with the twisted power of the underground every bloody step of the way. One thing that really strikes me is the bands ability to craft potent sonic climaxes. Tracks like "Surrounded By Filth" culminate in moments of truly glorious death metal insanity. Lyrically the record is focused around casting asides political and religious barriers, specifically it seems with regards to some of the hypocrisy that emerged around the pandemic. The end result is an offering that deeply understands so much of what makes this genre special. 

Peace Through Tyranny is one monster of a record. While at times moments are a little overblown and on the nose, the end result is a surprisingly fun throat ripper of an offering. The songwriting is tight and the performances stellar. If you're looking for something that reflects the razor sharp early 90s deathgrind sound then this is the record for you. It's brutal, unrelenting and a whole boatload of fun that only keeps on giving. Let yourself get lost in the unifying violence, it's more than worth it and relentlessly, punishingly addictive. 

Pre-order the album!

https://killdivision.bandcamp.com/album/peace-through-tyranny

Languish - Feeding The Flames of Annihilation

It feels like there's a new wave of deathgrind sweeping the nation right now, and Languish are one of several Prosthetic Records bands helping to craft this throat slitting wave. There is a real charm to their new record Feeding The Flames Of Annihilation which ties in nicely to many classic deathgrind tropes and leaves listeners gasping for air under a storm of sped up Morbid Angel and Immolation style riffs. The wicked assault that defines this offering is mesmerizing and speaks of all that is to come from the headbanging madness of this new record. 

Languish impress with the intensity of their assault on Feeding The Flames Of Annihilation. The hectic punishment that they bring forth on tracks like "The Collector" is thrilling and it's hard not to be swept up in the crippling sonic firestorm they craft. There is something truly impressive about the concise songwriting too, as if Languish understand on a profound level the need to get in, make their brutal point and then get out. Of particular note - the drumming on this record is excellent. There are some wonderfully dextrous fills and a sense that we are all driving towards crazed new depths. It's perhaps the most impressive single performance on the album.

Feeding The Flames Of Annihilation is a lean, mean, face cruncher of a record. The burly riffs and snarled vocals come together to craft an addictive set of anthems of malice. While I think the mix could have been tightened up (The vocals sit far too low in my opinion on some tracks, especially given how talented their vocalist is) as a general rule, Feeding The Flames Of Annihilation is a potent addition to the canon. With some addictive mosh riffs and a wonderfully tense sense of nervous energy, Languish are proving they will be here for years to come.

Pre-order the album!

https://languish.bandcamp.com/album/feeding-the-flames-of-annihilation

Descent - Order Of Chaos

Order Of Chaos is, first and foremost, a helluva name for a record. The Australian deathgrind merchants in Descent though are much more than a name though, their brutarian sound is utterly crushing. The HM-2 worship that defines their sonic violations is mesmerizing, the sort of thing that chokes out listeners and forces us all to bend the knee in honor of a band who keep on unveiling new layers of evil. This is death metal done at a million miles an hour and committed to keeping listeners in thrall. 

Descent fascinates because of the breadth of the depravity in their sound. This is a band who take the core influences of the deathgrind greats and bring them to their own twisted level. The chaotic fury and blasting assault of a track like "Despotic" is truly exciting and speaks to just how talented the band is. It's hard not to be charmed by a group who so eagerly lean into the twisted burning wreckage of the genre and come out holding the still beating hearts of their enemies. This is deathgrind to powder your bones and leave you begging for more. It's the epitome of what the Australian scene can churn out when given time. 

If you're a death metal freak - then this is the record for you. It distills so many elements of what makes the genre great and will have you headbanging across your apartment, home or office in no time. These guys may not be reinventing the steel, but they certainly do a good job of ripping out throats and making listeners gasp for air. This is what death metal is supposed to be about in the first place and it's so much fun to hear a band straight up going for it at a million miles an hour and not giving a fuck what any of you posers think.

Pre-order the album!

https://shop.redefiningdarkness.com/products/712519-decent-order-of-chaos

Feed Them Death: Panopticism: Belong/Be Lost

I, Voidhanger Records has long been a haven for the avant garde, experimental and strange in the world of underground metal. The sophomore record from Feed Them Death fits all these criteria. Founded by Void, a founding member of Antropofagus back in the 90s, the band fuses deathgrind with black metal and even touches of  noise. It makes for an intense listen that isn't afraid to upush boundaries and which seems eager to continually one up itself. It shows us the band at their finest with riffs akimbo and a sense that we are all being dragged into the void.

What really holds this record together is the quality of the production. The gradual build up of a track like 'Lotusbluthen III' really speaks to the bands ability to conjure up twisted sounds and ease you into a sonic drubbing. The balls out assault of the drums is a particularly exciting aspect here. Though they do lack the requisite fills that usually makes this type of music so rewarding. Nevertheless, the pure hatred spit throughout and the elegant fusing of ideas and concepts ensures that listeners really have a chance to lose themselves in all that Panopticism: Belong/Be Lost has to offer as we engage with the insanity of this record.

Panopticism: Belong/Be Lost shines from top to bottom because of its willingness to be purely itself. It is willing to drive forward time and time again fueling all manner of wicked assaults. The record is an exciting one and one that seems eager to pull disparate strands of sound together with the strength of pure noise. As harash as this record is though it isn't that alienating. It's probably something that could serve as a gateway to much weirder things. For those of us in love with the most intense aspects of the underground then Panopticism: Belong/Be Lost will continue to fascinate for a long time.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/feedthemdeath/

Full Of Hell - Weeping Choir

In an ever changing metal landscape few things remain the same. One of the things that does seem to stay consistent though is the fact that Full Of Hell is an absolute motherfucker of a band. Their latest offering, the utterly stunning, Weeping Choir is eleven tracks of noise meets grind meets death metal madness. It's hard not to get lost in the crushing soundscapes and overwhelming paeans to brutality. Full Of Hell go well above and beyond on Weeping Choir in a way that is so uniquely them that longtime fans can't help but be enamored with their sonic assault.

The band has been hard at it for years now. Weeping Choir is sort of the endcap on a decade of releases. Though this is probably one of their more metal releases to date it maintains the same burning intensity that made their initial output so addictive. This is continually a band who seem to deeply understand not just hardcore but also what needs to come next in the genre. When I first saw Full Of Hell years ago all I could think was 'This is the new Minor Threat.' Now as they continue to put out punishing genre smashing albums it seems more clear than ever that Full Of Hell are deserving of their place in the grindcore pantheon.

So yes, Weeping Choir is fast and vicious. It is one of Full Of Hell's most punishing releases yet. It's short, addictive and demanding. What more could you want from a band who built their name on all of those things. Yet it's not only that. Weeping Choir proves that Full Of Hell remain a cut above their peers. It's proof that they are a forward thinking band who can absorb a variety of influences and use it to cut out a devastating piece of music that legions of grindcore fans will remains obsessed with for decades to come.

Find them on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/fullofhell/

Benighted - Necrobreed

Benighted have made a name for themselves in the past decade or so as France's premier deathgrind band. They are a group who don't shy away from Carcass worship but also mix in a ton of traditional grindcore as well as more than a little of their own creation. With deceptively large choruses, almost groove metal esque riffs and an impressive songwriting sensibility it rapidly becomes clear that not only are Benighted not cut of the same cloth as many of their peers but also that their latest offering, Necrobreed is easily their strongest to date.

There is a distinctive stomp to Necrobreed that makes it almost dangerously addictive. The way that the band crunches forward with a vindictive swagger and ball smashing drive means that Necrobreed is going to keep you thirsting for blood time and time again. Its an album that is going to invoke dark emotions within you and also punish your eardrums to the point of no return. This is the sort of release that makes you suffer dearly as you pick apart angular riffs, terrifying chord changes and a band whose sound can swivel on a dime. There is something endlessly impressive to how goddamn tight Benighted feel on Necrobreed, it's a testament to all the hard work that has gone into group over the past few years.

As alienating a genre as deathgrind can be Benighted do a damn good job of making it something that you can really think your teeth into. As much as you might think that deathgrind is a genre for freaks and geeks, dudes who had no friends in high school and only hung out in mongoloid mosh pits Benighted remind us of the grace of the form and give a sense of true legitimacy to this kind of music. It makes the band all the more addictive and reminds us time and time again of the skull cracking beauty of the genre.  

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/brutalbenighted

The Drip - The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability

Man, Relapse Records has been signing some of the worlds sickest grindcore for decades now and the latest addition to this legendary roster is the almighty The Drip whose new record, The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability is the same sort of crushing, face melting madness that made so many of us fall in love with the genre in the first place. The Drip understand the trademark crush that this music needs to have, and their pick squeal-tastic riffs and devastating rhythms hint at a much darker and grindier reality.

There is something almost otherworldly about the way that The Drip stomp forward, taking no prisoners and giving it all up in the name of the riff. The sonic assault is not without relief though. Rather than falling into boring old traps, The Drip stampede forward but then lay off, so that when the blasts come back they feel fresher and far harsher than ever before. The punch to the gut that is a song like Anathema is stunning, and yet they remain dangerous and raw without overdoing it. I think that's what really gets me about The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability, even though it certainly conforms to genre tropes it feels surprisingly fresh.

There needs to be an inherent danger to death metal and grindcore. This is something many of our favorite bands seem to have forgotten and others seem to have never had in the first place. Yet The Drip crash forward giving no fucks, going for the throat and making us choke under waves of sonic devastation. The Haunting Fear Of Inevitability is a devastating listen and a record thatwill remind you why we fell in love with this genre in the first place. The Drip are bordering on madness and you know you want to hop along for the ride.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/thedripgrind/?fref=ts

Thera Roya, Secret Cutter, The Banner and Cult Leader at The Acheron

The momentous nights are sometimes the most routine - the nights you go to a show and see your friends are the nights that makes this all worthwhile. I lucked into seeing a very good friends band this evening as well as the triumphant Cult Leader and a couple of locals. The point being - The Acheron is truly a special place to see a metal show, and watching a band as intense as Cult Leader guide the crowd into a stunning, orgastic climax is truly triumphant - after all - nights like this are what makes metal all worth it.

First up were the dudes in Thera Roya. Their unique brand of doomy and quasi ambient black metal blew me away. Though I was previously not familiar with the band Thera Roya's performance left me scraping my jaw off the floor. These guys are truly a band to watch - one of the most exciting out there, dudes who know what it means to tour all over the country and make sacrifices for their art. Thera Roya live is a simply transcendent experience, you find yourself bathing in the unholy beauty of this band and it is impossible to tear yourself away from what they do. This is what metal should be about - pushing boundaries and creating brilliantly unique art that will never be forgotten.

Up next was Secret Cutter, a band who by and large defied definition. While there were some noise elements you also got tastes of black metal and hardcore in the bands rather distinct blend of genres. Watching them create art that was both highly engaging but also distinctly intelligent was a lot of fun and left me grinning, pleased with the sublime madness that they had managed to invoke. Secret Cutter are one of those bands who push boundaries and expect something more from the listener, the way that they drive forth - unleashing powerful sonic exaltations to he dark forces that guide us all is stunning and leaves you reveling in the murk.

The Banner played a short and fun hardcore set that started to get the crowd moving and featured the kind of high energy anthems that make the genre so goddamn appealing. I had forgotten how much I miss the vibe at hardcore shows - there is a special kind of magic that this music generates that gets you feeling strange and destructive vibes that resonate with something distinctly American. This is part of what heavy music is all about and it's incredibly refreshing to watch a band as fast and loose as The Banner tear up a venue as great as The Acheron. This is what hardcore is all about - and after a long break from the genre I fell in love again.

And at last the hour was ripe for the almighty Cult Leader to take the stage -storming forth and unleashing an incredibly intense set that I doubt I will ever forget. Intimate and crushing these guys tore the crowd a new one and led them in crazed moshing and gang vocals. Cult Leader understand the true magic of all that is loud, proud and triumphant. There is no escape from their sonic annihilation and as you watch them you realize that they may very well be the best grindcore band of 2015. Utterly indefinable and endlessly exciting these guys understand what it means to put on a life changing live show and they seem ready to explode.

So the night came to an end - I got home, read an extremely exciting email, cried a little and then realized that this is what makes this whole thing so special. Heavy metal and loud music in general is more than just the music but instead a life changing and powerful music, an art form meant for the past, present and future. There is something incredibly visceral about a band like Cult Leader, they come out and blow your mind, changing the future of a genre and forcing you to realize that there is no end to the madness.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Thera Roya: https://www.facebook.com/TheraRoya?fref=ts

Secret Cutter: https://www.facebook.com/SecretCutter/

The Banner: https://www.facebook.com/thebannernj

Cult Leader: https://www.facebook.com/CultLeaderMusic

Mother Brain, Pyrrhon, Yautja, and Maruta at St Vitus

Last night saw one of those ridiculously sick bills that helps to make St Vitus such a legendary spot - this time featuring four of the greatest up and coming extreme metal bands in the scene. As I find myself becoming more entrenched in the New York scene I increasingly realize that it is special not just because all the best shows are here, but so are a lot of the most interesting movers and shakers. Hell - I even passed Noisey's Fred Pessaro on the street on the way to the venue - Brooklyn is a hub of metal, there's no if, ands or buts about it.

The point being - when Mother Brain took the stage for a short deathgrind set I was utterly blown away by the face melting power of their downtuned seven string guitar, rattled drums, and guttural vocals. They have a sense of sublime madness behind their work that is impossible to overstate. Yet they control the chaos of their sound and that's a key part of what makes them so fun to watch. You get the sense that the band is about to fall apart at any given moment and yet somehow they stay together, driving their twin vocalled fury to the limit and proving that even in this day and age brutal metal still has something to say.

Now I had never seen Pyrrhon before but I loved their debut record, 2014's The Mother Of Virtues. Suffice to say - the balls out madness and regular descents into noise was incredibly powerful - speaking to an essentially human part of our daily struggle. You watch these guys playing incredibly technical songs that border on raw madness and it's hard not to be impressed with them - Pyrrhon are pushing the envelope in a way only a handful of bands even dare too and I'd argue that of that select group, they might be the most technical. When they closed their set with a cover of Crystal Mountain the entire crowd was won over - enthralled with the immortal power of a band who seem destined to help change the face of extreme metal.

Yautja were up next and I was very curious to see them - largely because my only previous exposure to the band had been from seeing that they toured earlier this year with Inter Arma. Could a band possibly fit on a bill with Inter Arma as well as Maruta? Yautja proved they could, with riffs that fit nicely into the deathgrim polemic crashing down whilst simultaneously having moments of simplified doom derived madness that resonated with the gathered masses. With every member of this three piece contributing vocals Yautja are surprisingly fun to watch perform. They communicate a breadth of emotion with every jarring chord and it's hard not to fall in love.

At last the hour was ripe for Maruta to take the stage and finish eviscerating everyone's ear drums. Focusing primarily on tracks from their latest record Remain Dystopian the band performed admirably even though this particular live iteration - a three piece instead of the bands usual four - only had two of the day to day members. I was struck by the mind boggling technicality of the band as well as their balls out aggression. The sense of rage communicated in every crushing riff is sublime and leaves you choking on the sublime power of the music. Maruta understand what it means to get heavy as shit and when they reach out they slam your ear drums with rapid bursts of sonic insanity. The point being - these dudes understand what it means to play deathgrind and will never let you forget it.

And so the evening came to a close and I took my usual half hour walk back home. I felt cleansed in the immortal power of that which had been unveiled before me - simply because the dudes in these bands are simply that good. Though some might say death metal is tired out, nights like these help me to see that there is an incredibly and brave future for the genre - bonding old and new - proving for once and for all that death metal is not just a scene, but a worldview, and one that will remain victorious for years to come.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Mother Brain: https://www.facebook.com/MBgrind?fref=ts

Pyrrhon: https://www.facebook.com/pyrrhonband?fref=ts

Yautja: https://www.facebook.com/YautjaTN?fref=ts

Maruta: https://www.facebook.com/Marutagrindcore?fref=ts

Cattle Decapitation - The Anthropocene Extinction

One of the things that always attracted me to death metal when I was a whee tyke was the way that the genre, more than perhaps any other in the history of recorded music could sound... monstrous. There is something strangely satisfying about a record that sounds like it is coming to murder you and your family. That's exactly what I love so much about the new Cattle Decapitation record, The Anthropocene Extinction it sounds like all of your nightmares have come true and are coming to tear you the fuck apart. What more could you want?

Beyond that – Cattle Decapitation have always charmed me because of their ability to evolve. The Anthropocene Extinction is great because it is their most varied and most intelligent record yet. Hell, songs like Not Suitable For Life feature some borderline clean vocals and see the band pushing the envelope further than ever on what death metal can be. Cattle Decapitation are great because they are constantly broadening their musical horizons and expanding on what this music can accomplish. Sure they may never use acoustic guitars or break from blast beats for too long, but that's not the point. Instead with this record the band have proven that even with a fairly limited (But ever expanding) sonic pallet they can create mind bending art.

The fact of the matter is that The Anthropocene Extinction is among Cattle Decapitations best work yet. It opens your eyes and broadens your mind to the all consuming power of death metal and rattles you to the core. There is something distinctly demented about this record and that's why freaks like me will always love it, and by extension, anything the band does. Cattle Decapitation are the true masters of the genre, and the deeper you delve into their aural blasphemy the harder it is to come out clean. The Anthropocene Extinction has the power to profoundly change the listener, so you better be ready!

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/cattledecapitation?fref=ts

Maruta - Remain Dystopian

Maruta have always been one of the grind legends, renowned for slamming out pulverizing riffs that never fail to stay gritty their new record Remain Dystopian is a fitting addition to the legend. Maruta have mastered the ability to sound like they are on the verge of falling apart, it leaves the listener with a strange sensation - desperately grasping for any sort of solid tonal stronghold and instead finding themselves lost in the mysterious and soul shattering power that this kind of music has. Maruta get what it means to crush skulls, and the second you click play you know you're in for some ultraviolence.

One thing that Maruta really get right on this record is the sense of groove. The strange and vibrant attack on songs like Hope Smasher is delicious - it sees the band manipulating your ear in strange and exciting ways. They catch the listener off balance, first beating them over the head with one aural atrocity and then dragging them back up with another. The vocal lines are perhaps more disturbed than ever, deep throat death grunts being placed in direct contrast to high pitched screams that force you to look deep within yourself for a moment of respite in all of the demonic conjurings that make Remain Dystopian so darned interesting. Maruta are remarkably intelligent and Remain Dystopian once again proves these guys have the ideas, and the chops to be among the best in the biz.

Gloriously iconoclastic and unafraid to write their own rules, Maruta have proven that they are more than just another grind band on Remain Dystopian. Their vile sense of grindcores rawest perversions is palatable, even on the longer tracks which seem to actually revel in the ugliness. Maruta aren't going anywhere but up, they already will probably dominate the battle jackets of my MDF brethren next weekend, and with a record like this - well, I don't want to jinx the guys, but it looks like they can do no wrong.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Marutagrindcore

Nervous Impulse

The holidays are an extremely stressful time for everybody. Dealing with relatives with high expectations is never an easy task, so what better way to purify yourself than with some fucked up and angry Canadian grindcore? The all out brutality of Nervous Impulse is frankly impressive, and as someone who listen to a lot of grind, I can say that these guys definitely take it to anew extreme. Perhaps its the ominous bass line whose ominous parts provide a sense of evil to the music, or perhaps its the truly demented vocals, but there is something within Nervous Impulse's dedication to brutality that will soothe the savage beast. These guys don't just go for the throat, they come across as a sort of meat grinder, tossing you in and then spitting you out, ground up into a thousand finely wrought pieces. Twisted lords of a genre that most choose to ignore, Nervous Impulse are going to rip you apart and make you a slave to the ungodly powers that be. A band who are not to be trifled with, prepare yourself for the abuse to come.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/NervousImpulseGrind

Mindflair

You walk into the club and Mindflair are blaring, you say "Hell yes" because the band is simply that much fun. Mindflair are fairly easy listening for grindcore. They have very distinctive riffs that are surprisingly easy to latch on too. There is a sense of fun, and even hope that you get in these songs as they guide you to oblivion. Mindflair go at a million miles an hour and rarely ever breakdown, but when they do, it gets gloriously heavy. The high pitched rabid screams that punch out over top of the punishing grooves help to create an all out sonic assault that keeps this band charming and a joy to listen too. Mindflair have the power to inspire circle pits, yet their clear grooves mean that this is grindcore you can listen too around the home, as silly as that might sound. Turned on to a different idea of what it means to grind, these guys are one of the most exciting bands on Wooaaargh and they might just allow the most extreme of subgenres to turn the page.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/mindflair

God Mother

 

There is something innately satisfying about grindcore. God Mother understand this, and their unique brand of high energy face melting grindcore will leave you punished, bleeding out on the floor and praying for the grace of a merciful god. Their new record Maktbehov is 14 tracks of abusive, and at times anthemic grind. God Mother are certainly trying to transcend the genre, and here and there they start to succeed. There is a profound power to what these guys are trying to do and it will certainly capture your imagination. When the grooves hit and the breakdowns become ferocious you start to get a sense for the tantalizing sense of destruction that God Mother give off. When you feel yourself starting to suffer under wonderfully heavy riffs and your bones crack under a drum attack that is frankly intimidating you know that you have found something truly special that will guide you to the peaceful abyss.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/godmotherband

Vile Disgust

Every once in a while I naively think that I have found the peak of brutality, as if after a certain point things can't get any more offensive or violent or plain ol' fucked up. Then I discover a band like Vile Disgust and realize that I may very well be only scratching the surface. Brutal to a fault and wonderfully simplistic, I'm still not sure if I actually like this band or if I'm just in awe of how far they've crossed the line. In a world where the internet has normalized all sorts of horrifying stuff It's kind of satisfying that a group can still shock. The blasting magic and pig squeals that define songs with creative titles like "How To Make a Girl Fart" are nicely contrasted by unholy samples hinting at murder, rape, or even just people puking. Vile Disgust have created something so beautifully anti-art I can't help but smile and encourage people to check these dudes out. In other words, watch out guys, Urban Outfitters should be stocking Vile Disgust merch any day now!

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/VileDisgust

Benighted - Brutalive The Sick

It's a strange age we live in that a fairly obscure deathgrind band can record a top notch live album. Seemingly unthinkable just a few years ago, with Brutalive The Sick Benighted have not only proven their ability as musicians but also their role in the deathgrind scene. Remarkably brutal and surprisingly tasty, Benighted have been able to take their deathcore fare and turn it into something mythic. Capable of capturing the listeners imagination and guiding them into the beautiful pit of suffering that defines this type of music, this may be Benighted's crowning gem.

See, I saw Benighted live a couple of years ago opening for Napalm Death. I remember their visceral brutality. Hearing them now, perhaps angrier than ever is actually kind of inspiring. they sound great and have an absolutely tight delivery. The stage banter is nice too, sure it's in French, but for me at least it gives the record a slightly nostalgic quality. Benighted are band who don't deny their roots, and as the crowd chants and screams between songs you can easily tell that these guys have found their own role in the French scene. A sort of crowning jewel in n already impressive discography, Brutalive The Sick will pound your bones to dust and carry you to strange new sonic worlds.

Brutalive The Sick is the kind of live masterpiece that gives you a new appreciation for the band. Benighted have managed to pull together a live record that will leave you picking your jaw up from the floor, it's simply that good. Benighted understand what deathgrind is about, and nothing proves it better than this record. They sound excited and hungry, metal gods who will smash your face in if you so much as doubt there role in the scene. Benighted may very well be France's best deathgrind export and this record only helps to prove it.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/brutalbenighted